Factors That Contribute to Social and Economic Development

What is Development?

Political development can be broadly defined as the process by which a society transitions from an authoritarian regime to a more democratic one. There are a number of factors that contribute to political development, including economic development, social change, and the spread of education and information (Charfeddine & Mrabet, 2017). In general, political development is a gradual process, and it can take many years for a society to make the transition from an authoritarian to a democratic regime. However, there are some cases where political development has occurred much more quickly, such as in the aftermath of a revolution or civil war—like the War for Independence in 1776 or the War of Northern Aggression (as Southerners called it) the following century. Whether slow or fast, political development is an important process that can have a profound impact on the way a society is governed.

This transition of political development is often accompanied by economic development, as a country moves from an agricultural or pastoral economy to a more industrial one. Investment in a country’s natural resources and infrastructure helps to foster economic and often social development, too. Social development, meanwhile, refers to the process by which a society becomes more complex, stratified, and differentiated. While there is no single path to development, these three factors are often interdependent. For instance, a country that undergoes political democratization is likely to see an increase in social mobility, which can lead to economic growth. Conversely, economic inequality can act as a barrier to political and social advancement (Lipset, 1959). Ultimately, development is a complex and multidimensional process, and our understanding of it is constantly evolving. Development is inevitably a fluid process and never static. A nation is either progressing, i.e., developing, or regressing, i.e., breaking down.